The Egyptian Pavilion at the 2025 Marché du Film (Cannes Film Market) has won the Best Pavilion Design Award, a prestigious accolade recognizing excellence in event design, activity programming, and international engagement.
Marking its fifth consecutive appearance, the Egyptian Pavilion—jointly organized by the Cairo International Film Festival, El Gouna Film Festival, and the Egyptian Film Commission (EFC)—emerged as a standout for its immersive design, high-impact programming, and cross-cultural connectivity.
“This win is a confirmation of Egypt’s cinematic ambition and strategic vision,” said veteran actor and Cairo International Film Festival President Hussein Fahmy after receiving the award. “We didn’t just want a booth; we aimed to create a cinematic embassy—a space where cultures, ideas, and talents converge.”
While design played a key role, sources inside the Marché du Film organizing committee said that Egypt’s pavilion also scored highest in the “industry relevance and innovation” category—a nod to its panels, networking events, and international positioning.
The pavilion hosted a range of activities, including interactive panels, workshops, and strategic networking events that linked Egyptian creatives with global producers, distributors, and streaming platforms. The highlight was a panel titled: “From Hollywood to Cairo: Bridging the American and Egyptian Film Industries”, featuring Fahmy himself alongside international filmmakers and producers.
“Hollywood is no longer the only gravitational force in cinema,” Fahmy said during the session. “New powers are emerging—China, Korea, and soon, we believe, Egypt, with its vast artistic history and growing technical infrastructure.”
The Egyptian Pavilion’s program reflects a broader national strategy. The Egyptian Film Commission, under the Ministry of Culture, is actively promoting Egypt as a regional and international hub for film production, capitalizing on the country’s historical locations, affordable production costs, and growing talent pool.
“We’re seeing serious interest from American and European independent filmmakers,” confirmed Nadia El-Helaly, Deputy Director of the EFC. “With our recent incentives and co-production agreements, Egypt is no longer just a filming destination—it’s becoming a co-creator of global content.”
Sources close to the Commission said that a new international co-production fund—backed by public and private investors—is in development and could launch before the end of 2025.
Egypt’s win at Cannes is not just symbolic—it signals a resurgence of Arab cinematic influence in global culture. At a time when Middle Eastern stories are gaining traction on platforms like Netflix, MBC’s Shahid, and Amazon Prime, Cairo’s strategic positioning has implications for the entire region.
“Egypt’s pavilion is a model of cultural diplomacy through cinema,” said Dr. Yasmine El Rashidi, a cultural policy researcher at the American University in Cairo. “It shows how Arab nations can use festivals not just to showcase talent, but to negotiate influence.”
Egypt’s efforts also reflect an emerging pan-regional approach. According to organizers, discussions are underway for a joint Arab film initiative at Cannes 2026, possibly including Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco.
Crucially, the pavilion didn’t only highlight Egypt’s cinematic past—it spotlighted its future. A series of youth-focused panels helped connect emerging Egyptian filmmakers with global decision-makers, from major streamers to festival curators.
One such rising voice, Nourhan Said, a 24-year-old Cairo-based director whose short film “The Fourth Wall” was screened at Berlinale, said: “What Egypt is doing here is giving young filmmakers like me a seat at the global table. It’s no longer just about funding—it’s about networks.”
